


Are we in sync

by InLust



Series: Skimmons Week 2015 [6]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Awkward situations, F/F, Misunderstanding, Skimmons Week, awkward walking situations, officer skye, paranoid jemma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-04
Updated: 2015-10-04
Packaged: 2018-04-24 20:00:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4933372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InLust/pseuds/InLust
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>NYC AU. Jemma knows how to defend herself. She’s got a knife clipped on the back of her pants and she’s ready to cut her attacker. But, how did this get so awkward so quickly?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Are we in sync

Jemma gets off of the bus with her fist clenched around the strap of her messenger bag. Her mind is screaming for help but her demeanor is cool and calm. There is no need to cry  _wolf_ .   


She’s been in these situations before. Her heart is pounding inside of her. Her back is sweaty. Her mind is counting approximately **17** different methods of self-defense, **10** to ensure her successful _getaway_ , **6** to ensure her attacker’s _incapacitation_ , and **one**... _well, she doesn’t want to get into that._

Her hand feels for her waistband briefly, she makes as if she’s pulling her pants up, but she’s just checking to make sure that the knife Triplett gave her for her birthday was securely clipped back there. _Was it wrong of her to be cautious?_ She’s living in New York City, who knows what crazy, lunatics could come out to get her.

Nevertheless, Jemma remained focused. The real goal was to get home. At all cost, she needed to make it back safely in her bed, so she could sleep comfortably for the whole weekend and not have to be worried that Mr. Stark would need her expertise. He was a genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist (his words, not hers) and she was just a genius.

There was a shadow down the alley, she passes and she nearly pulls out her knife before she realize it’s just a little _kitten_.

There is an echo of clicks as she continues to make her way towards her apartment. There is an awkward stutter behind her and Jemma glances back.

Skye _swears to Thor_ that she doesn’t mean for this to happen. _Damnit_ , she curses, as she tries to change her pace but it sounds like a bit of a shuffle because she stumbles.

The cute, brunette woman ahead of her is glancing at her now but it doesn’t last.

 _I get it. I am so stupid. But it’s not my fault! I am just trying to make it home too_.

Skye fights the urge to just walk up to the woman and walk side by side with her. The awkwardness is too real and Skye decides against it.

Had she known they were going to get dropped off at the same stop, maybe Skye should have stopped glancing at how beautiful this woman was.

The weight on her shoulder is getting a bit heavy, so Skye shifts the big duffel she has slung over her shoulder. Again, she realizes that probably was not a good idea.

Without realizing it, Skye’s stride normalizes.

Jemma feels her fight or flight instincts kicking into gear because suddenly, the person behind her is getting closer and _closer_.

She tries to calm herself down. That it was just in her imagination and they were just happening to go in the same direction. The person behind her was most definitely _not_ a dangerous person.

But she could be. She could be a _serial killer_. She could be a _kidnapper_. She could be **anything** for all Jemma knew.

Now, she is beyond neurotic and made herself completely paranoid. She quickens her step.

_Just one more block._

Skye just wants this walk to be over with. She curses herself for bringing her bike to the shop this week. If she knew this was going to happen, she would’ve just picked it up or asked for a ride back from the precinct.

**_Just one more block._ **

Her heart is pounding out of her chest at this point. Jemma is sure that if this person behind her isn’t going to kill her, a heart attack will.

The pace picks up again because the flight instinct is kicking into high gear. She really just wants the safety of her home. She sees her building’s small light above the entrance.

There is a part of her that wants to remain completely calm and collected. She can’t do it. She books it to the front door and realizes that the person behind her is coming straight for her. She curses over and over in her head as she juggles for her keys and misses the hole twice before it successfully goes in.

She tries to turn the knob but it gets stuck.

The person is right behind her and she does what she’s learned from Trip in self-defense class.

Skye screams just as the woman screams and drops her duffel with her hands raised in the air. Suddenly, there’s a glint in the small light above the entrance and Skye reaches out quickly to grab the woman’s wrist.

“Holy shit!” she yells tightening her grip just in time.

There is a knife in that woman’s hand, whose wrist Skye is gripping tightly, which is located a few inches from her chest. Her heart beats wildly in her chest due to the adrenaline.

It might have been due to the fact that the woman had a strong grip on her wrist or maybe it was inappropriate to think of how attractive this person who had been following her had been but Jemma stops screaming and stares at her supposed attacker.

She examines the woman quickly and sees the gleaming **badge** at her waist. “Oh my god!” she immediately drops the knife from her grip.

She almost assaulted **_a police officer_**. “I am so sorry, _officer_!” Jemma begins immediately. “Oh my god! I am truly sorry!”

Skye watches, completely stunned, as the woman who wielded the knife pretty _ferociously_ at her chest, suddenly began rambling apologies and rationales for her behavior. It was the strangest and most inappropriate time to realize how beautiful this woman was but all Skye could do was stare.

Then she realizes, they did scream pretty loudly. _Who know if they woke up the neighbors?_

“Hey, hey, I am sorry, I scared you,” Skye interjects quickly and luckily she has a resting heart beat as she asks. “But, why the _hell_ did you pull a **knife** on an unsuspecting person?!”

Jemma shuts her mouth and feels the blush streak her cheeks. “To be fair, we live in New York City, there is a level of danger that floats around in the back of my mind!”

“You could’ve seriously hurt someone,” the officer notes playfully.

“ **You** could’ve hurt _me_. How was I supposed to know my creepy _shadow_ wasn’t going to kill me? Not to mention, _you_ were the one **eyeing** me since the bus stop.”

This time, Skye blushes because she’s been caught. She had to work on her subtlety. _What a terrible cop_. “Sorry,” she mutters. “Is it my fault you’re pretty?”

Jemma feels her throat dry and it doesn’t help that her heart is pounding inside of her chest. She huffs and bends down to grab her knife. Skye doesn’t flinch as she picks it up to fold it close. “I don’t think a compliment is the best way to make this situation any less awkward.”

Skye shrugs. “It’s the truth.”

“So are you a stalker or--?”

Skye rubs her face with her palm in embarrassment. “God, no. I live here too actually. 3E.”

“3E? You’re right down the hall from me. How come I’ve never seen you?”

“No kidding? Where are you?” Skye bends down to grab her duffel bag and slings it over her shoulder.

“3C.” Jemma turns back to the door and tries to jiggle the key.

“That thing gets stuck all the time.” Skye says as she steps into Jemma’s space to reach for the key. “Let me try.” She grips the key tightly and tries to pull it out a bit before pushing it further in. After a second, she tries turning the key twice before she twists it a third time which breaches success. She smiles brightly at the shorter woman and pulls out the key after opening the door.

It’s not that impressive to her but she says, “Thank you,” and takes her key back.

Skye isn’t sure what she should do. So, she pauses for a second. Does this woman want to continue awkward conversation as they make their way up to their apartments? Or maybe, she should pretend she is getting a call from the precinct.

The thoughts end when the woman stops in front of her, holding the door open. “Are you coming up?”

“Yeah, sure? I could walk you to your door,” Skye tries joking to relieve the tension inside of her. She hates being awkward but the woman makes her feel that way. _She’s so damn pretty._

Jemma rolls her eyes at her. It’s starting to sound like a vaguely awkward end to a date. “Let’s skip the awkwardness of our first meeting and start over,” Jemma resolves because she can see the way the officer is biting her lip nervously. She sticks out her hand. “My name is Jemma.”

“ _Oh thank_ ** _god_** ,” Skye says quickly with a laugh. She reaches for Jemma’s hand. “My name is Skye.”

“Now, are you going to walk me to my door safely, _officer_?”

**Author's Note:**

> also at my tumblr nocteverbascio


End file.
